FORT SHAFTER — Col. Judith Bock
assumed command of the 18th Medical
Command (Deployment Support)
from Col. Erin Edgar, here, June 3.
Bock comes to the unit from Tripler
Army Medical Center, where she was
the deputy commander for nursing,
and she was the regional nurse executive
for the Pacific Region Medical
Command.

Edgar will be transferring to U.S.
Central Command.
“Edgar has been busy these past
two years in standing up the 18th
MEDCOM (DS),” said Brig. Gen. Keith
Gallagher, TAMC and PRMC. “He
has built a tremendously capable mission
control headquarters that can
deliver medical units, blood, trauma
systems, electronic medical records
and other key medical components to
the U.S. Army-Pacific commander for
use on any battlefield or disaster relief
mission.”
The 18th MEDCOM (DS) can now
establish an operational command
post anywhere in theater, with the
focus of building capacity for U.S.
forces. The unit can also help neighboring
Pacific nations train for a variety
of missions, including humanitarian
assistance, and build their technical
proficiency, first responder skills
and management capabilities, Gallagher
said.
The unit has deployed several senior
officers and noncommissioned
officers to Cambodia, Vietnam, Mongolia
and other countries in the Pacific
theater, as part of the Theater Security
Cooperation Plan, to build and
sustain stronger bonds with the medical
departments of these countries.
The 18th MEDCOM (DS) staff also
participated in the Pacific Integration
Conference in early January, setting
a positive tone for the entire
Army in the Pacific, fostering stronger
relationships with U.S. forces in Korea,
establishing mutually agreed
upon requirements and identifying
areas for future discussion and technical
review, Gallagher said.
“Today, we welcome the newest
commander in the U.S. Army, Col.
Judy Bock,” Gallagher said. “(She)
brings tremendous leadership, dedication,
hard work, process-driven and
meticulous methods, and an awesome
clinical prowess to the 18th MEDCOM
(DS).
“She is an awesome teacher, educator
and gifted leader, who will exercise
her staff to the highest standards,
especially during the Main
Command Post Certification exercise
later this summer,” Gallagher continued.
“She will indeed prepare the
18th MEDCOM (DS) for any mission
given.”
The 18th MEDCOM (DS) has both
active and Reserve components. Bock
said she looked forward to sharing
in the unit’s accomplishments as it
moves toward full operational capabilities.
“Soldiers of the 18th MEDCOM
(DS), you look magnificent, and I extend
to you my admiration for all that
you have accomplished in the last
couple of years,” Bock said to the attendees.
“I feel I have been granted a
great privilege to command (you), and
I will honor that privilege with everything
that I have.”

MISSION

Mission Command of assigned and attached medical units to provide comprehensive and flexible Army Health System Support (AHSS) throughout the US Army Pacific (USARPAC) and across the full spectrum of operations.

LEADER

"A team of medical teams, expeditionary focused and proficiently trained
providing seamless health service support throughout the Asia-Pacific Region."